A Companion in Solitude
by SantD
Summary: The story takes place after Loki's return to Asgard, as a prisoner. The plot has the second movie as background. Loki was sentenced to spend the rest of his life all alone in prison, so Queen Frigga decides to get him a companion, someone who would help him ease his pain and frustration and, perhaps, become a friend?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter #1: An Unexpected Visitor**

Two months have passed since Loki was sentenced by Odin to spend the rest of his life in Asgard's prison. He wasn't only deprived of his freedom but he also couldn't receive any visitors. Not the Loki would like or expect to see his friends. He didn't have any. But he wasn't allowed to see his mother, Frigga, and for him that was the hardest part. Of course he wouldn't demonstrate his feelings. He acted as he didn't care, as if this didn't affect him at all. But he was broken inside.

To rotten in a prison was nothing compared to the fact that he would never see or touch the only person that mattered to him. The only person who ever loved him (according to himself). When he asked Frigga to "define worse", he knew what his destiny would be like. He was deeply aware of Odin's rage and the plans the All-Father had for him. But he only understood the dimension of Odin's anger when Frigga said she was prohibited to visit him. At least in person.

Frigga could visit Loki's cell by using her magic only. She wasn't there in person, she couldn't touch her beloved son. Yet, that was better than not seeing him at all. She could feel Loki's sadness even though he would never discuss his feelings with her. He used most of time to attack Odin and Thor with words and complain about his misfortune. Frigga couldn't be there with Loki all the time. Odin didn't know she was secretly seeing Loki. She didn't fear what Odin could do to her if he ever discovered what she's been up to but she feared what he could do to Loki. She also didn't want her son to spend most of his days by himself, locked in a room next to other prisoners. So she had an idea.

Loki was lying in his bed with his eyes closed. That's how he usually spent most of his time when he wasn't reading his books or talking to the image of his mother. He didn't talk to other prisoners or to the guards. He didn't want to. The only people who were allowed to go to his cell were the guards, whom were in charge to bring him food, clothes and books provided by Frigga. Loki was almost falling asleep when he sensed something. Someone.

He opened his eyes slowly. Without looking through the glass wall he started to talk:

"You're not a guard."

Silence

Still lying in bed, he turned his head to the glass. Standing outside was a young woman. Loki stood up and slowly walked towards her.

"Why are you here, woman? Who sent you?" Now he was closer to her so he could check her face better.

The young woman had a pale skin and her cheeks were slightly red. She had big brown eyes and a long brown hair, tied in a ponytail. Her bangs were covering her left eye. She was wearing a light green dress with no ornaments on it.

"I'm sorry, Milord. I didn't want to startle you".

"You didn't"

"Queen Frigga sent me here. She put me in charge to bring your meals, clothes and books from now on, Milord."

Loki noticed she was holding a tray with his dinner.

"I see." He asked himself why his mother would suddenly choose someone to bring him food instead of letting the guards do it, as usual. Was Odin aware of this? Did it count as a visit after all? Was that a sign that his mother wouldn't visit him anymore (if he could call that a visit) and now she was trying to replace her company by someone's else? Thinking of that made him sick.

"I'll call the guards so I can handle you your tray, Milord". It took a couple of minutes until the guard could pass the tray through a small door to Loki. Needless to say the whole cell was protected by magic to avoid any attempt of escape or attack and Loki was in constant surveillance.

Loki grabbed the train and put in on his small table. He was ready to eat when noticed the young woman was still standing outside, looking at him.

"How long do you intend to stay there? You may go now" He said with no enthusiasm in his voice.

"I'm sorry, milord." She lowered her eyes to the floor "But I received orders to stay here until you finish your meal".

"Did my mother really ask you that? Why?"

"Queen Frigga wants to be sure you're feeding yourself well, milord".

He let it out a laughter. A sad laughter. He thought it was funny and also tragic that his mother was concerned if he was being well-fed. What was the purpose of it, anyway? He was supposed to die in that prison.

It took Loki ten minutes to finish his meal. He wasn't hungry and he couldn't stop thinking of his mother, if he would ever see her again. When he finished, he put his tray back to floor, near the small door. He looked at the woman again. Before she could call the guards, Loki started to talk.

"Wait! Do not call them yet."

She looked at him surprised but nodded her head.

"How did my mother come to you?"

"I—I'm one of her servants, milord." She answered shyly.

"A servant? I see." Since he was bored, he decided to play a little with her. "So, _servant_, are you enjoying your new task? Tell me how it feels like to be down here, among prisoners, away from all the luxury and beauty of the palace, facing the evil glances coming from other cells. Certainly this is not a place for someone like you to be." Loki had his eyes fixed on her. He was expecting that woman to show any sign of discomfort but she kept looking at the floor.

"You. Come closer. Closer. Yes. Now look at me!" he demanded. He was decided to terrify her. If he couldn't have Frigga's company, he didn't want to see anybody else. The woman looked at him. Loki seemed utterly imposing, intimidating. She found difficult to keep staring at him but she kept doing it. Loki came closer to the glass wall.

"Are you afraid?" he asked with a smirk on his face. "Do you fear me, woman?"

"No, milord" – she answered sincerely. Loki was taken aback. He didn't expect a "no" as an answer. He was disappointed that her words sound too straightforward.

"No?" – He asked bitterly. – "Why not? Because I'm stuck in this glass chamber so you know I can do you no harm? Huh? Why don't you fear me?"

"No, milord. I don't fear you. I respect you".

"Respect… me?" – Loki repeated her words still surprised by the answer.

"Yes, milord." The woman then lowered her eyes again. "Excuse me, sir, but I shall leave now. Queen Frigga is waiting for me." She called the guards to help her with the tray while Loki turned his back on her and went sit in his bed.

"Excuse-me, milord. I almost forgot. Before I go, would you like me to take a message to the queen?"

"Yes. Tell her I want to talk to her. Immediately".

"As you wish, milord. Goodnight".


	2. Chapter 2

**The Second Visit**

"Why did you send that woman here?" asked Loki, without hiding his discomfort. "Is she a replacement? You won't visit me anymore?"

"Oh, Loki, son. Of course not. I will always find a way to come to you. Not in person, as you know… but here I am." – said Frigga, coming closer to Loki. He didn't face her. His eyes were fixed in the white wall across his cell.

"So what?"

"You spend too much time by yourself. I can't always come here… your father doesn't know I come here in secret which means I can't be by your side all the time. So I thought it would be a good idea to get someone to keep you company."

"I don't need company" – he stated resentful.

"Everybody needs company, my son." – She walked towards him. She wanted to put her hands on his shoulder but she couldn't. If she did, she would slowly vanish.

"But doesn't she count as a visitor, Mother? I thought Fa—Odin had made it very clear that…"

"Don't worry." Frigga interrupted him. "You see, she's not a proper visitor. I asked your father that, since I couldn't come here to check on you, I wanted someone I could trust to do it for me. I wanted to be sure that you would be alright."

"Did the _King_ agreed on that?" – Loki asked.

"A King can't always deny what his queen asks." – She smiled. "I told your Father that she was only coming here to bring your meals, books and even my correspondences to you. She's not allowed to stay longer. She will only stay here until you finish your meals or your letters to me."

Loki sighed.

"Please, promise you won't mistreat her. Do it for me."

" Are you asking me to become friends with your servant?"

"No. I'm only asking you to treat her nice. She's a good woman, I'm sure you'll get along well… if you try".

Loki laughed in disbelief. "Honestly, Mother, I don't think anything good will result of this."

"My son, I shall go now. I'll come back tomorrow. I promise. And please, think of what I've asked you".

"Mother! Before you go, answer me… why her?"

"Son… if you give her a chance you may find that you two share a lot in common." – She smiled gently and then vanished in the thin air.

* * *

Loki was lying on his bed again, eyes closed, when he sensed her mother's servant presence.

"Oh, here you are". He said without even opening his eyes or moving.

"Good morning, milord" – she said respectful. "I brought your breakfast."

"I'm not hungry. Go away."

"I-I'm sorry, milord. But I don't have permission to go back if you don't finish your breakfast."

"So you will rotten over there waiting, just as me." – he said, sarcastically. He wasn't hungry and he also didn't want to talk to that woman. "What a stupid idea, Mother!" – he thought. He stayed in his bed and gave no attention to the girl. It took no more than two minutes for Loki to fall asleep.

Loki woke up for the second time that morning. He opened his eyes and kept staring at the ceiling for a moment. Suddenly something caught his attention. "No way. Is it possible that…?" – He looked at the glass wall where the servant was standing before. And there she was.

He stood up and went towards the glass wall. She was sitting on the floor, her back leaned on the glass window. She was reading a book. Loki observed that the tray with his breakfast was on her lap, untouched.

"Didn't I tell you to go away?" – He asked in a severe tone.

The woman was so distracted by her reading that she didn't hear Loki approaching. So, when she heard his voice behind her, she moved in surprise and almost dropped the tray.

"E-excuse-me, milord."

"Why are you still here?"

"I've told you, milord, I'm not allowed to go back until you finish your meals." – She lowered her eyes to the floor, as if excusing herself for being an inconvenient.

Loki shook his head and let it out a sigh. "My breakfast" – he said.

"Oh. I'll call the guards, milord." – said the woman. Another couple of minutes passed by until Loki could grab his tray. He put it on the table and started eating. Once in a while he would give a discrete look at the servant. She was, again, immersed in her book, waiting for Loki to finish his breakfast.

"What are you reading, servant?" he asked, standing up.

"The Chronicles of a Merciless Son" – she answered with a smile – "It's about a man who wants to take revenge on his father, whom let him behind to die and…" – she suddenly stopped talking. Saying the plot out loud made her, somehow, think of Loki and his complicated relationship with the All-Father. She didn't face Loki.

"…And? It seems a good story." – Loki said. Of course he had also related himself to the plot. He saw the woman was feeling uncomfortable, probably feeling guilty to bring a delicate subject up. "Does he get his revenge?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes" – she was still avoiding looking at him.

"So there was a happy ending" – he said with a cynical smile.

"Not really. He got his revenge in the middle of the book which means that the story hasn't come to an end yet. A lot of things can still happen. Just like in real life, I doubt that a story of revenge will ever have a happy ending. Milord" – She added quickly.

Loki was staring at her. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking by now.

"And what do you know about revenge, servant?" - He finally asked, with a cold look.

"Not much, milord, since I was unable to get mine" – she answered with a sad tone.

Loki was taken aback by her reply. He raised an eyebrow. "Your revenge?" – He laughed. - "And who deserves your revenge, if you don't mind me asking? – Loki was having fun. "Imagine that, a servant seeking for revenge", he thought.

She finally looked at him, with a serious face. "My father".

Loki faced her with a genuine expression of surprise. He immediately remembered his mother's words "you may find that you two share a lot in common."

"That's getting really interesting". He pulled out a chair and sat down. "Tell me your story, _servant_".


End file.
